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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has advised visiting NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg it’s time for the army alliance to supply his nation membership and that Kyiv wanted extra weapons to struggle Russia.
Mr Zelensky made his feedback on Thursday at a joint information convention after talks with Mr Stoltenberg, who supplied NATO’s solidarity with Ukraine on his first journey to Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost 14 months in the past.
The NATO secretary-general’s go to was more likely to irk the Kremlin, which mentioned earlier on Thursday that one of many essential objectives of its “particular army operation” in Ukraine was to forestall it from becoming a member of what Moscow regards as a hostile bloc.
Mr Zelensky mentioned he believed a NATO Summit in Vilnius in July may turn out to be “historic” and that he had been invited to attend.
“I’m grateful for the invitation to go to the summit, however additionally it is vital for Ukraine to obtain the corresponding invitation,” Mr Zelensky mentioned.
“There isn’t any goal barrier to the political determination to ask Ukraine into the alliance and now, when most individuals in NATO international locations and nearly all of Ukrainians assist NATO accession, is the time for the corresponding choices.”
NATO has supported Ukraine all through the battle, with member states supplying it with weapons, however Mr Zelensky mentioned extra had been wanted. All delays in receiving extra weapons brought on deaths in Ukraine, he mentioned.
Mr Stoltenberg mentioned Ukraine’s rightful place was within the North Atlantic Treaty Group, and that membership and safety ensures for Ukraine can be excessive on the agenda of the alliance’s July summit.
“Mr President, I’m right here at this time with a easy message: NATO stands with Ukraine,” he mentioned. “NATO stands with you at this time, tomorrow and for so long as it takes.”
Ukraine introduced a bid for fast-track membership of NATO final September after the Kremlin mentioned it had annexed 4 Ukrainian areas that its troops have partially occupied.
The Kremlin reiterated to reporters on a convention name that Moscow opposed NATO admitting Ukraine, a former Soviet republic.
“In any other case it is going to current a severe, vital hazard to the safety of our nation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned.
Mr Stoltenberg’s go to to Kyiv comes at a significant juncture in Russia’s nearly 14-month-old invasion which has killed hundreds, uprooted tens of millions, destroyed cities and devastated the Ukrainian financial system.
After weathering a Russian winter and spring offensive that has made solely small advances within the east, Ukraine now hopes to retake land in its south and east in a counteroffensive within the coming weeks or months.
Mr Stoltenberg additionally started his journey a day earlier than NATO protection officers mentioned new army provides for Ukraine at their newest assembly on the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Denmark and the Netherlands introduced on Thursday that they might collectively donate 14 Leopard 2 tanks.
On Wednesday, Washington introduced $US325 million ($483 million) in new army help, together with ammunition for Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs (HIMARS), superior missiles and anti-tank mines.
– Reuters
